A place to share some reflections on faith, journeys and life in general...

Thursday, April 26, 2012

John O'Donohue

YesterdayI attended an evening on John O'Donohue at the London Centre for Spirituality led by Ken Browne. I knew nothing about the man, apart from his name and the fact that some people spoke highly of him. What I experienced came as a shaft of sun into my soul! Now I must encounter him through 'Anam Cara' but I have already begun to delight in his poetry. Here's one for now:

THE INNER HISTORY OF A DAYNo one knew the name of this day;

Born quietly from deepest night,
It hid its face in light,
Demanded nothing for itself,
Opened out to offer each of us
A field of brightness that traveled ahead,
Providing in time, ground to hold our footsteps
And the light of thought to show the way.

The mind of the day draws no attention;
It dwells within the silence with elegance
To create a space for all our words,
Drawing us to listen inward and outward.

We seldom notice how each day is a holy place
Where the eucharist of the ordinary happens,
Transforming our broken fragments
Into an eternal continuity that keeps us.

Somewhere in us a dignity presides
That is more gracious than the smallness
That fuels us with fear and force,
A dignity that trusts the form a day takes.

So at the end of this day, we give thanks
For being betrothed to the unknown
And for the secret work
Through which the mind of the day
And wisdom of the soul become one.

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About Me

I am a priest, spiritual director and accredited pastoral supervisor (Association of Pastoral Supervisors and Educators - APSE) living in south-east London. I also organise pilgrimages to the Holy Land. You can find out more from my website: www.spiritualdirectioninlondon.org.uk